In January, the Chinese government lifted its 13-year ban on video game consoles -- pending the drafting of rules that companies will have to follow to sell them in the country. As of today, those rules have been released.

What's not quite clear yet is what will happen next, as none of the big three console manufacturers -- Sony, Nintendo, or Microsoft -- have announced plans to release products in China.

That hasn't stopped the news from affecting Nintendo's stock price, however. Microsoft has entered into an Xbox-related joint venture, however, though its plans are yet unannounced. Sony has also formed a new "China Strategy Department" with an eye to selling products in the country.

Chinese companies are also planning to get in on the action, with two different consoles announced this year so far, by Chinese manufacturers ZTE and TCL.

Will the lifting of the ban have a big effect? Market researcher Lisa Hanson, who visited Microsoft's partner BesTV last year, isn't so sure, as she writes in this blog post after her visit.